1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to firearm accessories, and more particularly, to firearm mounted video camera systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Applicant believes that one of the closest references corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 1,360,443 B1 issued to Robertson et al. on Nov. 30, 1920 for Gun Camera. However, it differs from the present invention because Robertson et al. teaches an apparatus combined with a mechanism of a machine gun for the purpose of training machine guns operators by photographically recording their aim during practice fire.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds U.S. Pat. No. 1,955,300 B1 issued to Kurnick on Apr. 17, 1934 for Camera Gun. However, it differs from the present invention because Kurnick teaches a camera gun having a photographic attachment connected with a trigger of a gun to allow for simultaneous discharge of the gun and activation of a camera to take a photograph of a target.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 2,005,366 B1 issued to Gaty on Jun. 18, 1935 for Machine Gun Camera. However, it differs from the present invention because Gaty teaches photographic cameras that simulate the form of a machine gun. Specifically, manipulation accuracy of the machine gun can be examined by the inspection of pictures taken.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 2,144,909 B1 issued to Atkin et al. on Jan. 24, 1939 for Combination Gun and Camera. However, it differs from the present invention because Atkin et al. teaches firearms having incorporated therein a camera for the purpose of photographing objects at which the firearms aim.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 2,282,680 B1 issued to Sonne on May 12, 1942 for Gun Camera. However, it differs from the present invention because Sonne teaches gun cameras and specifically a camera that is affixed to a gun to photographically record its aim at the moment of discharge.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 2,500,379 B1 issued to Sonne on Mar. 14, 1950 for Gun Camera Mount. However, it differs from the present invention because Sonne teaches shock absorbing camera mounts, especially for military aircraft.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,469 B1 issued to Sanford on Oct. 4, 1955 for Camera Flash Gun Attachment. However, it differs from the present invention because Sanford teaches a camera flash-gun attachment and details a type of bracketing.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,356 B1 issued to Nielsen on Dec. 8, 1970 for Camera Telescope Apparatus for Guns. However, it differs from the present invention because Nielsen teaches a camera-telescope in combination with a gun, whereby the camera is arranged to photograph the image of the telescope.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,665 B1 issued to Herden on Sep. 5, 1972 for Camera in Gun Form. However, it differs from the present invention because Herden teaches an in-line telescopic objective and viewer that serves as a trigger-operated mirror for the capturing of photographs to provide for long-range photography in a gun.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,095 B1 issued to Buckley on Jan. 5, 1982 for Camera Mounting Device. However, it differs from the present invention because Buckley teaches a camera mounting device for mounting a camera to a hunting rifle, comprising a first mounting bracket adapted to support a camera, a threaded fastener to detachably secure a camera to the first mounting bracket, a variable diameter clamp to clamp the first mounting bracket to the barrel of the telescope sight of a rifle, a cable release for remote actuation of the camera, a second mounting bracket connected to the cable release, and threaded fasteners for detachably securing the second mounting bracket to the trigger guard of a rifle so that actuation of the cable release is coordinated to actuation of the rifle trigger.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,621 B1 issued to Black on May 30, 1989 for Gun Mounted Video Camera. However, it differs from the present invention because Black teaches a video camera recording device having a gunstock and a support structure for which includes a mounting platform adapted to receive thereon a hand held video camera recorder having a lense structure defining a line of sight, a recording medium for recording video information, and a viewfinder and mounting structure for mounting the viewfinder onto the gunstock. Structure is provided for effecting a sequential activating and deactivating of the video camera recording device for the purpose of starting a recording of video information onto the recording medium and stopping the recording, respectively. A gun sight is located in the line of sight so as to be visible through the viewfinder when the video camera recorder is recording video information on the recording medium. A trigger is provided on the gunstock and is adapted to be manually activated by a finger of a user's hand. A signal generator is provided which generates a signal visible through the viewfinder in response to the user activating the trigger. The signal is also simultaneously recorded on the recording medium.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,022 B1 issued to Myers on Mar. 6, 1990 for Photographic Gun. However, it differs from the present invention because Myers teaches a hand held weapon simulating a rifle, shotgun or pistol having a camera pivotally mounted in the area of the usual projectile insertion and ejecting mechanism which has its shutter, focus and f adjustment means mounted in or adjacent the firing chamber which camera is actuated by trigger action of the weapon for taking pictures through the barrel of the weapon.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,024 B1 issued to Myers on Jan. 29, 1991 for Photographic Gun. However, it differs from the present invention because Myers teaches a hand held weapon simulating a rifle, shotgun or pistol having a camera mounted in the area of the usual projectile insertion and ejecting mechanism which has its shutter, focus and f adjustment means mounted in or adjacent the firing chamber which camera is actuated by trigger action of the weapon for taking pictures through the barrel of the weapon. A cover is pivotally mounted on either the camera or frame of the weapon for exposing the film for camera loading and unloading purposes.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,262 B1 issued to Pena on Jun. 4, 1991 for Camera Mount For Rifle Scopes. However, it differs from the present invention because Pena teaches an apparatus that includes a mount for use on a telescope in combination with a rifle. The mount is clamped onto the telescope, and has a camera attached to the top of the mount. A cable mechanism is attached at one end to the shutter release of the camera and at the other end to the trigger of the rifle. The camera is arranged to photograph the image received through the telescope and reflected through the mount. The cable mechanism provides means for controlling the operation of the camera. A housing is clamped onto the telescope and has an eyepiece, which fits onto the eyepiece of the telescope and contains a split prism, which is positioned in the eyepiece at an angle such that it can be seen through for viewing the image of the target received through the telescope. The split prism has a reflective surface on one side, which reflects the image of the target upwardly to a first surface mirror positioned in the housing above the split prism at an angle such that it receives the image reflected from the split prism, and then reflects the image forwardly to a second surface mirror. A second surface mirror is positioned at the forward end of the housing and at an angle that it receives the image reflected from the first surface mirror, and then reflects the image upwardly to the camera lens. The image of the target is photographed when the trigger of the rifle is pulled.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,740 B1 issued to Rather et al. on Sep. 20, 1994 for Multi-Functional Variable Position Rifle and Camera Mount. However, it differs from the present invention because Rather et al. teaches a combination of a camera mount and a gun mount allowing horizontal, vertical and positional adjustment with manually activated locking knobs allowing multidirectional shooting with a gun that may be rigidly clamped in any one of a multiplicity of rapidly adjustable positions and with the camera adjustably mounted allowing a hunter to take a picture instead using the gun.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,375 B1 issued to Watson on Mar. 30, 1999 for Camera Mount For Firearms. However, it differs from the present invention because Watson teaches a camera mount for firearms, comprising a base plate; an intermediate plate operatively attached to the base plate; a dampening material, operatively attached between the base plate and the intermediate plate, for dampening recoil forces transmitted to the intermediate plate; and a mounting plate removably attached to the intermediate plate, the mounting plate includes a camera attachment device for allowing attachment of a camera to the mounting plate; and an adjustment mechanism, operatively connected between the intermediate plate and the mounting plate, for allowing the camera to be aligned with respect to the firearm. The camera mount further includes a firearm-mounting device, operatively attached to the base plate, for mounting the camera mount to the firearm. In one embodiment, the firearm-mounting device includes at least one scope mounting bracket shaped and dimensioned to allow attachment of the camera mount to a scope on the firearm. In an alternate embodiment, the firearm-mounting device includes a forestock mounting bracket shaped and dimensioned to allow attachment of the camera mount to the forestock on the firearm.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,146,200 B2 issued to Park et al. on Dec. 5, 2006 for Camera Lense Mounting Device of Folder Type Telephone. However, it differs from the present invention because Park et al. teaches a camera lens-mounting device of a folder-type telephone. The folder-type telephone includes a body housing, a folder, and hinge means for rotatably connecting the body housing to the folder. The camera lens-mounting device comprises hinge arms and a guide arm, which are integrally formed on a hinge axis of the body housing. A camera lens assembly is installed between the guide arm and one of the hinge arms so that a camera lens housing rotates within a designated angle, and the camera lens housing includes a camera lens assembly, a connector, and a rotating handle grip.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,978 B2 issued to Sharrah et al. on Mar. 13, 2007 for Light Mountable on a Mounting Rail. However, it differs from the present invention because Sharrah et al. teaches a mounting arrangement for a light or other object that includes a clamping arrangement, or a keying arrangement, or both a clamping and a keying arrangement for mounting to different mounting rails having different keying features. The clamping arrangement includes a fixed clamp member and a movable clamp member that is movable towards and away from the fixed clamp member and is biased towards the fixed clamp member, so as to grip a mounting rail therebetween. The keying arrangement employs interchangeable keying members that may be disposed in a recess of the light or other object and that may have different keying features for use with mounting rails having corresponding keying features
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,163 B1 issued to Gordon on Dec. 14, 1999 for Photographic Rifle Scope Apparatus and Method. However, it differs from the present invention because Gordon teaches a telescopic firearm scope/sight, which is fully integrated with a compact digital camera, and which has size, shape and weight characteristics that are substantially the same as those of a conventional, camera-less telescopic scope, is used to photograph a target proximate the instant at which the target is fired upon. To configure the weapon for photography and firing, the scope is simply placed on the firearm in the same manner as a conventional scope, and the firearm is then fired in the conventional manner. Photographs are recorded, alternatively, in response to the sound of, or the recoil from, the firearm firing.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.